<p>Can someone explain the chain of command to me -- I know there are squad leaders, platoon leaders, company officers etc... who are midshipmen and that there are active duty officers also. Is there an officer for each company, each regiment and the brigade? I get the -- "I'll explain it all at Christmas" line from my mid and I don't want to be stupid at Parents Weekend.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Navymom2012....I opened this link to answer your question and at that moment my husband called.</p>
<p>Here we are 35+ years after his USNA graduation and I asked him to rattle off to me the USNA Chain of Command.</p>
<p>Those years are still embedded in his memory cells ( just ask any former midshipman!) and so here you go:</p>
<p>When a Plebe recites these, he has to know each category by the name of the person in the position.</p>
<p>Administrative Chain of Command:</p>
<p>The President of the United States:
The Secretary of Defense:
The Secretary of the Navy:
Chief of Naval Operations:
Superintendent, United States Naval Academy:
Commandant, United States Naval Academy:
Battalion Officer
Company Officer</p>
<p>Midshipman Chain of Command:
Brigade Commander
Regimental Commander
Battalion Commander
Company Company
Platoon leader
Squad leader</p>
<p>You will note that there are Commissioned Officers and Midshipman Officers in this Chain. There are also enlisted personnell assigned to each Company - but I didn't ask him where they fit into this chain of command.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>It's all in the Reef Points, by the way. Buy one at the midshipman store when you are at PPW and 99% of your questions will be answered.</p>
<p>Basically:</p>
<p>Supe
Commandant
Brigade Commander
......honor advisor, character advisor
....brigade sergeant major
Brigade XO
Regimental Commander (one each for 1st and 2nd regiment)
Battalion Commander (1 for each of 6 battalions, +sports+support activities)
Battalion XO
Company Commander
Platoon Commander
Squad Leader</p>
<p>There are levels within levels..."strippers"... advisors....but the above is the bare bones of it. </p>
<p>you can find additional COC tables on the following link....scroll down to pages 84-90....</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>peskemom has it correct. Just because they hold higher rank than you within the Midshipmen organization does not put them in the Chain of Command. That is why you go from Supe to CNO and pass all the Admirals along the way.</p>
<p>
[quote]
There are levels within levels..."strippers"... advisors....but the above is the bare bones of it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>ROFLMAO</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the unintentional belly laugh! I am sure the mids would love to have "strippers" in their chain of command. Unfortunately, the "stripers" (so called because of the stripes on their coat sleeves) are probably a bit less fun! ;)</p>
<p>Please don't get mad - it was just a cute freudian slip and I had to share the laugh. No hard feelings?</p>
<p>LOL! (no offence to anyone, but that was pretty funny!)</p>
<p>Peskemom has a good start on the chain of command with the officer chain and the corresponding midshipman chain. navy 2010's link shows the real chain, where the officer and midshipman chains come together. Company Commanders pretty much report to their company officers, Battalion Commanders to Battalion Officers, etc. etc. up to Brigade Commander reporting to the Commandant. In my day the 'real' chain of command was from Commandant to the Company Officer via the officer chain of command and then to the Company Commander. If I am not mistaken, special request chits went up via the midshipman COC to the Company Officer and then from there via the officer COC. Probably not that much has changed. Out of company 'strippers' were largely ceremonial and actually many positions were filled by those who had 'grease' but were not really team players and did not fit inside the company.</p>
<p>peskemom, grad/dad, and USNA69 are correct in reference to how the COC works/operates. Additionally, that instruction is outdated and does not reflect changes that went into effect more recently.</p>
<p>The Senior Enlisted Leader (CPO, SCPO, GySgt) would fall in between the Company Officer and Company Commander.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Out of company 'strippers' were largely ceremonial and actually many positions were filled by those who had 'grease' but were not really team players and did not fit inside the company.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>A very bad generalization. I worked with a lot of out of company staffers and I would say that it is the complete opposite.</p>
<p>Do Enlisted Salute Midshipmen?</p>
<p>How does this apply to Senior Enlisted in the Brigade on the Yard?</p>
<p>How does this apply to Enlisted Junior/Senior in regards to coming across a Mid on a Summer Cruise?</p>
<p>Would PO3 Jones Salute Midn 3/C Smith? Walking Past Eachother at Oceana?</p>
<p>Would OSSC Jones Salute Midn 2/C Smith?</p>
<p>MIDN do not rate salutes.</p>
<p>At USNA, SEL actually have more authority than MIDN do. </p>
<p>There are 30 company SELs and a CMC. The leading SEL in each battalion (i.e. 1 of the 5 SELs) is the Battalion's LCPO (not sure what they would call it if it were to be a Marine). I can't remember if there is a Brigade LCPO...but the CMC is the USNA CMC -- not just applicable to Bancroft Hall.</p>
<p>My understanding is that technically MIDN do rate salutes, falling somewhere between a chief & warrant ... or warrant and ensign?</p>
<p>But in reality, should one ever be offered, the Mid should deem himself ... lucky. It rarely/never happens.</p>
<p>MIDN do not rate salutes. On my fleet cruises it has happened, actually more often than you think. I certainly didn't find it lucky - more awkward than anything else. </p>
<p>I guess things have changed as I do not find out of company strippers as non team players. Those who have come from my company have been very well liked and respected within the company.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Thank you so much for the unintentional belly laugh! I am sure the mids would love to have "strippers" in their chain of command. Unfortunately, the "stripers" (so called because of the stripes on their coat sleeves) are probably a bit less fun! </p>
<p>Please don't get mad - it was just a cute freudian slip and I had to share the laugh. No hard feelings?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>oh my!!! :eek:</p>
<p>where's spell check on here!!!!</p>
<p>Obviously I must have other things on my mind.... :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Yeah, I know, I had strippers on my mind when I was repainting my wrought iron railing...</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>OK, since someone asked about salutes, here's a question about a new ensign/2nd Lt's first salute. I know there is a tradition of the new officer giving a silver dollar to the person who offers the salute, but is that person usually a friend or family member? If there is a friend or family member who retired as an officer, can they render the first salute, even though they outrank the newly commissioned officer? (Yes, I know there are many, many hills and turns in our roller coaster ride before that can happen. Just wondering, for now.)</p>
<p>2012mom?,</p>
<p>Our son and most of his company mates went to find their "gunny" after Commissioning in order to exchange the first salute.</p>
<p>Just our experience, the experience of others may vary.</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Midshipmen are officers. Check the UCMJ. Navy regulations require enlisted to salute officers. No exceptions. Why would a Midshipman be exempted from this? A salute is merely courtesy, etiquette, and a form of greeting. Nothing about it should be awkward.</p>
<p>Now, if that midshipman happened to be a stripper, there should most definitely not be a question.</p>
<p>Enlisted are taught to salute the gold braid. To falsely correct them would only cause embarrassment. With that said though, due to the fact that it is perhaps confusing, a midshipman should not expect a salute.</p>
<p>USNA69,</p>
<p>The UCMJ defines MIDN and Cadets and just states that the UCMJ is applicable to MIDN/Cadets. It doesn't refer to MIDN or cadets as officers.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Congress didn't define a MIDN as any type of officer. It isn't written in code.</p>
<p>The feeling that I get from Congress and the President is that MIDN are "officers in training" and not commissioned in any respect, therefore, they don't rate a salute. </p>
<p>If you can find me a reference that proves otherwise, I would definitely like to know.</p>
<p>Check: US</a> CODE: Title 10,CHAPTER 535—GRADE AND RANK OF OFFICERS</p>
<p>I was referring specifically to the method to which UCMJ addresses midshipmen. For example, Article 133 is Conduct Unbecoming an Officer where an officer is defined as commissioned officers and midshipmen. OF the too many recent Article 133s, I have never heard of a successful defense that depended on the premise that midshipmen were not officers. Commissioned officers, no; officers, yes. Navy regulations require all officers to be saluted, not just commissioned officers. Never have I ever seen or heard anything where midshipmen were considered 'officer candidates'.</p>
<p>Actually, until this discussion I have never heard anything to the contrary.</p>